On June 30, 2025, what began as an ordinary day on a family farm near Mabel turned into a life-or-death situation, and thanks to the swift actions of first responders, a 16-year-old with a cell phone, and a determined fiancé, Kala Exworthy is alive today.
Exworthy was visiting her fiancé Rory Welper’s family farm north of Mabel when a sudden cardiac arrest caused her to collapse in the small bathroom. Rory heard a crash, rushed to find her unconscious, and immediately began CPR.
A 16-year-old visitor from Indianapolis remained calm and called 911 from his cell phone. His call first went to dispatchers in Indiana before being routed to Fillmore County, where local dispatcher Courtney Nelson swiftly connected emergency services.
With time being critical, Mabel Ambulance was notified. Though a helicopter was initially dispatched with an estimated arrival of 28 minutes with plans to land at the Scheie Lutheran Church, those on the ground decided they couldn’t wait. They make the critical decision to transport Kala by ambulance to WinnMed in Decorah.
Jason and Sheri Marquardt and Travis Vatland showed up in their personal vehicles before the ambulance arrived. Jason Marquardt took over performing CPR from Welper.
Fillmore County’s Sheriff John DeGeorge shared that when Deputy Jordan Rudolph came on that night, he signed on and saw an email from Sergeant Jesse Grabau that said, “You need to update your AED. Go to the office, hook up to the Wi-Fi, and make sure it gets updated so it’s functioning properly.” Rudolph did not know that he would need it that day. Rudolph, who covers Mabel, arrived at the scene before the ambulance because he was in the area.
“There were certain things that just kind of happened,” said Welper. “It was like a computer program. Like it’s just supposed to work this way.”
On July 30, Steve Vanden Brink, director of Ambulance at WinnMed, recognized the first responders involved in the response. He explained that WinnMed has been recognizing groups that have had a sudden cardiac arrest save over the past few years. He emphasized that 250,000 people die every year because of sudden cardiac arrest, and only 7% of people survive.
“The reason she survived is because everything lined up,” said Vanden Brink. “Somebody called 911. Somebody started CPR. We got an AED. We brought the patient to the hospital and they got a pulse back. It’s an absolute miracle. So it’s really special to know that we can celebrate that today, to have Kala here and her family, to have the first responders that were there.”
Vanden Brink presented the first responders with a certificate and a heart pin that said, “You make a difference.” The first responders recognized include Jason Marquardt, Dispatcher Courtney Nelson, Fillmore County Deputy Jordan Rudolph, Shelly Gerard, Mabel Ambulance Director Sarah Mengis, Jeanette Paul, Sheri Marquardt, and Travis Vatland.
The care didn’t stop at the field. The following morning, emergency room staff requested data from the AED, and with help from Mengis, the data was secured and Vanden Brink promptly delivered to Rochester. That data revealed something rare: three shocks were needed to restore Kala’s heart rhythm. Wow!
Welper recounted how stunned the neurologist was after reviewing Exworthy’s MRI. “We don’t ever see this – just a tiny dot of damage. Usually, it’s much more significant. This is incredible,” the neurologist said. Welper added that it was the neurologist’s reaction that truly blew them away. Typically, brain damage is far more extensive, but when the doctors came into that room and they were practically giddy. He said, “This is fantastic.” This would not have happened if it wasn’t for the first responders.
Exworthy, who was present at the ceremony, said that Rochester was really impressed. “At first, you wake up with no speech, nothing. And within days, I had my speech back and was doing most of what I usually do. I got out of the hospital on July 11. You guys made a huge difference.”
Exworthy noted that she does not remember anything, but with a smile on her face, said she wishes she remembered the helicopter ride.
The first responders all spoke up at once, proclaiming Welper as the hero.
Welper expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the first responders who saved his fiancée’s life.
Sheriff DeGeorge summed it up: “Mabel is the best.”
Throughout the ceremony, Welper held his fiancée’s hand, thankful, emotional, and keenly aware of the second chance they’d been given.
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